נָצִיר
𐤍𐤑𐤉𐤓
nâtsîyr
H5336 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
An individual or group kept safe, preserved, or maintained, especially by divine or active safeguarding. In the Hebrew Bible, נָצִיר designates someone or something that is set apart to be protected or preserved, either in a literal sense (guarded or kept secure) or figuratively (those who remain after adversity). Used for persons or entities that are the object of protection, especially in contexts expressing hope for the deliverance or survival of a remnant, or for those singled out for preservation.
Semantic Range
one who is kept, preserved, or protected; preserved remnant; object of safeguarding; survivor kept safe; preserved individual/group by divine or human action
Root / Etymology
Root נצר (נ-צ-ר), which has the core meaning of 'to guard, keep, preserve.' נָצִיר is a nominal derivative, denoting one who is kept or preserved, typically with passive nuance: 'one who is preserved/guarded.' The formation transforms the verbal root into an adjective or substantive indicating the state of being guarded or protected.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term נָצִיר appears rarely and is contextually significant in poetic or prophetic contexts (e.g. Isaiah 49:6) to describe those whom YHWH safeguards, particularly in reference to the Israelite remnant preserved through adversity or diaspora. Unlike נָזִיר (nazir)—a term for a consecrated or separate person (e.g. Nazirite)—נָצִיר emphasizes protection and preservation rather than consecration or separation. Later translations occasionally conflate its sense with 'remnant,' but the lexical nuance is on being preserved rather than merely remaining. English Bible translations historically rendered this with words like 'preserved,' 'kept,' and in some settings, 'Jew' or 'Judean,' but the original sense is broader, focusing on divine or purposeful safeguarding regardless of ethnic or later religious identity. Its use in post-exilic or later biblical contexts (e.g., Isaiah) reflects a developing theology of protection in exile, but it is not an ethnic marker per se. Contrast also with שְׁאָר (she'ar, 'remnant') and פָּלִיט (palit, 'escapee, survivor'), which emphasize different aspects of survival or deliverance.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from נָצַר; properly, conservative; but used passively, delivered; preserved.
Bantu Hebrew
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נצר (n-ṣ-r) — to guard, to keep, to watch, to preserve
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5336-01 |
ו/נצירי | vntsyry | HC/Aampc |
and preserved of | and preserved ones of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5336-01 |
Isaiah 49:6 | ו/נצירי | vntsyry | HC/Aampc |
and preserved of | and preserved ones of |